Sean Payton kicks Panthers offense while they're down after Week 8 win

The Denver Broncos have been one of the big surprises of the 2024 season. With a new quarterback in rookie Bo Nix and a tough schedule on paper, it was hard to envision the Broncos being in playoff position after Week 8. Yet, here they are, sitting at 5-3 on the season.

On Sunday, the Broncos defeated the lowly Carolina Panthers 28-14 behind a four-touchdown performance by Nix. Denver's defense deserved some credit as well, considering they picked off Carolina quarterback Bryce Young twice. This was Young's first start since getting benched after Week 2, and the Broncos didn't make things easy for him.

Head coach Sean Payton spoke to reporters after the game and was asked about the effort by the defense. Payton decided to take a blatant shot at the Panthers, saying, "...it's not a good offense we played."

"It's just the truth," said Payton. So we expected that, and we're going to see a lot better teams."

Sean Payton provides brutally honest analysis of Panthers offense

Tell us how you really feel Sean. The Panthers are the worst team in football in terms of a win-loss record (1-7). So any team that matches up against them will hold an advantage.

On Sunday, the Panthers offense totaled 284 yards on 60 plays, putting up an average of 4.7 yards per play. Entering Week 8, Carolina averaged 281.6 yards (third-lowest in NFL) and 15.7 points per game (fourth-fewest). So, Payton is right when saying the Panthers offense isn't good.

Payton essentially said he will want to see how his defense plays against teams that have better records and are in playoff contention. Next week, the Broncos will take on the Baltimore Ravens, who are led by dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson and bulldozing running back Derrick Henry. The week after? The defending Super Bowl champions and the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. After that? The Atlanta Falcons who defeated the short-handed Tampa Bay Buccaneers to improve to 5-3 on the year.

Payton was asked about it, and provided an honest evaluation of the Panthers' offense, and he said it wasn't a good one. As if the loss for the Panthers didn't sting enough.